Test your knowledge of government

Question: What does an air traffic controller do, how does one
become an ATC, how many are there and how many of them are women?

Answer: They direct air traffic, the training is tough, a lot
(yet not enough) and I don't know. You probably don't either.

But we're going to find out this morning on our Your Turn
radio show. One of the nation's top air traffic controllers is going to be our
guest. Trish Gilbert is the executive vice president of the National Air Traffic
Controllers Association. She's part of a series we are working on to identify
high-profile (and some not so high-profile) jobs in the federal government. Many
members of the public know these people exist, but haven't a clue how they got
where they are or what they do. So we're going to try to find out.

Park rangers take care of National Parks. We know that. But
what does that mean? Do they really range, or work from an air-conditioned office
or in some steamy (this time of year, snow-covered) yurt or tent? Given the crime
in parks, from muggers to marijuana growers, how many of them carry guns?

What about IRS revenue officers. Who are they, and what do they
do?

How many cooks and hair-dressers does Uncle Sam employ? And why
and where? Again, we'll check it out.

The show will also feature senior writers from the Federal Times who will
talk about the possible impact of the election on federal and postal workers. And
retirees. Will the 2013 pay freeze last all year or end in March? And our old
friend Sequestration. The President said it isn't going to happen. But what
if it does? Where does that leave you? In furlough status. Maybe out of a job.
We'll try to sort through the assessments (some of them intentionally scary and
self-serving) to give you a clearer picture of what might be your future.

Listen if you can (1500 AM or online), and if you have questions email them to me at mcausey@federalnewsradio.com or
call in during the show at (202) 465-3080. The show will be archived here.

Back in the 1970s — when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
still designated hurricanes with only female names — Florida feminist Roxcy
Bolton proposed naming the storms after U.S. senators instead of women.

Federal agencies in D.C. to reopen WednesdayFederal agencies in the Washington, D.C., area will reopen Wednesday with
unscheduled leave and telework options available to employees, the Office of
Personnel Management announced.

Feds can apply for disaster relief through
FEEA
Federal employees who experience major loss during Post-tropical Cyclone Sandy can
apply for a grant from the Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund. Feds
can fill out the application form. Grant amounts go up to $500 and are determined
on a case-by-case basis. The grants are open to civilian and postal employees.

Coast Guard kicks into high gear after
Sandy
The U.S. Coast Guard has kicked operations into high gear now that Post-tropical
Cyclone Sandy has hit the Eastern Seaboard. Prior to the superstorm's Monday night
landfall, the Coast Guard had all of its assets pre-positioned along the coast for
search and rescue mode today, said Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Jamie Frederick, in an
interview on The Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Emily Kopp.